Make the Promise

As Americans gather to celebrate Memorial Day, it’s fitting that we remember those who have served in the Armed Forces during periods of war. Without their sacrifices, all of us would not live as freely as we do.

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects firsthand accounts of the men and women who served our country during wartime. It is a living history. The stories are told by veterans in their own words. These are the unvarnished stories of ordinary people who saw and did extraordinary things.

VHP is the primary project under the National Court Reporters Foundation’s (NCRF) Oral Histories Program, where NCRF engages NCRA members in the preservation of stories that capture the important moments in American history. You can be a part of that. Members of NCRA are uniquely qualified to transcribe veterans’ wartime oral histories to help protect and preserve the rich and extensive history of American veterans. That’s why NCRF is asking you to Make the Promise.

NCRF is challenging all NCRA members to Make the Promise that you will use your time and talent to honor our country’s wartime veterans by volunteering to interview and transcribe the wartime memoirs of veterans in your community over this Memorial Day. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you provided an invaluable historical recollection that otherwise would have been lost to history. Registered court reports are eligible to receive 0.25 Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for each transcription completed, and you can earn a maximum of 1.0 PDC for transcribing four veterans’ oral histories during your three-year certification cycle.